Remote control for a stepwise adjustable device, especially turntable for toy and model railroads

ABSTRACT

A remote control device for an installation having a reversible electric motor. The device has a control element which is adjusted manually and a follower element which is driven step wise in a direction to follow the control element. When the control element is moved in either direction away from a predetermined position relative to the follower element, the motor is energized to run in a respective direction and actuates switch means which controls the supply of energy to an indexing device for the follower element to drive it in the direction in which the control element was moved. When the predetermined relative position of the control element and follower element is restored the motor is deenergized.

[ 5] Mar. 14, 1972 United States Patent Ernst 54] REMOTE CONTROL FOR A sTEPwrsE 3,007,094 10/1961 Vandenberg ADJUSTABLE DEVICE, ESPECIALLY 2 2 629 /1 TURNTABLE FOR TOY AND MODEL 2,861,265 RAILROADS [72] Inventor:

mm m mm Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gilheany Assistant Examiner-Thomas Langer Attorney-Walter Becker Max Ernst, Lohengrenstrasse 14, 85 Nuremberg, Germany Aug. 10, 1970 [22] Filed:

ABSTRACT 21 Appl. No.: 62,457

A remote control device for an installation having a reversible electric motor. The device has a control element which is ad- [30] Fomgn Applicauon Pnomy Data justed manually and a follower element which is driven step Aug. 8, 1969 wise in a direction to follow the control element. When the control element is moved in either direction away from a predetermined position relative to the follower element, the

Germany......................P 19 40 334.0

motor is energized to run in a respective dlrectron and actuates switch means which controls the supply of energy to an [51] Int. ....G05b 11/01 [58] Field of Search 676 indexing device for the follower element to drive it in the direction in which the control element was moved. When the References Cited predetermined relative position of the control element and follower element is restored the motor is deenergized.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,682,628 Jordan.......................t...........318/675 21 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR 14 m2 SHEET 1 [1F 3 INVENTOR. fl/QX f? 5/ PATENTEDFMR 14 m2 3, 649 900 sum 2 [1F 3 INVENTOR. i0! f) a PATENTEDHAR 14 m2 3, 649 900 sum 3 OF 3 INVENTOR. /y4,r A74 1/ REMOTE CONTROL FOR A STEPWISE ADJUSTABLE DEVICE, ESPECIALLY TURNTABLE FOR TOY AND MODEL RAILROADS The present invention relates to a remote control for a device which is adjustable stepwise by an electric motor to a preselectable rated position, and, more specifically, concerns a remote control for remote controlling a turntable for toy and model railroads. In particular, the present invention concerns a device of the above mentioned type in which the device is provided with an arresting mechanism and a control device adapted periodically to be controlled by said arresting device, said last mentioned control device being adapted after initiation of an adjusting movement to keep the driving motor under voltage for the duration of an adjusting step.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control device of the above-mentioned type which will assure that at the actuating device an advance of the post control and indicating device will be effected only when an adjusting step is being carried out so that faulty operations of the installation will be impossible.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the actuating device for the remote control according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the actuating device built into a control panel.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the device of FIGS. 1 and 2, said section being taken along the line III-III of FIG. 4 while the movable parts of the servomotor and indicating mechanism and the cover for the preselector ring have been omitted.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the instrument part shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively illustrate in two views arranged perpendicular to eachother the advancing disc of the indicating mechanism.

FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate two views perpendicu' larly with regard to each other of a disc carrying the indicating symbol, together with a transparent cover disc of the instrument.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the mechanism plate of the actuating device.

FIG. 10 is an overall view of the preselector ring and mechanism plate.

FIG. 11 illustrates the essential part of the bridge of a remote controllable turntable for toy and model railroad installations and also illustrates the wiring diagram for the actuating device.

The remote control device according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that in addition to the control conductors for the driving motor, between the actuating apparatus and the installation to be controlled there is provided a further current conductor, which represents the return signaling line which by the same arresting device as the control device for the driving motor is placed under voltage and by means of which a servomotor and indicating mechanism provided in the control apparatus is adjusted stepwise.

According to a further important feature of the invention, the actuating apparatus includes a round housing adapted to be installed at the control board for the railroad installation, a preselector ring rotatable in the housing in opposite directions, and a servomotor and indicating device which is movable electromagnetically into a position which is preselected by the preselector ring. The preselector device and the indicator device are thus combined to form a single structural unit whereby the apparatus will require a minimum of space in the control board.

According to a further feature of the invention, it is suggested for purposes of adjusting the servomotor and indicating device provided within the preselector ring in the actuating apparatus, to employ a stepwise advancing or control mechanism.

When employing a direct current motor for the drive of the installation, which motor is reversible in its direction of rotation by changing the polarity thereof, it is necessary, in the control apparatus to provide a reversing device for the required reversing of the poles of the feeding lines for the motor.

According to a further feature of the invention, when changing the direction of the preselector ring by means of said reversing device, the feeding lines leading to the drive motor as well as the feeding lines leading to the step control mechanism are to be reversed as to their polarity.

A considerable simplification of the device and in particular of the step control mechanism for the servomotor and the indicating device is obtained when the same are provided with two control valves equipped with control pawls and adapted to adjust the adjustable part of this device in opposite directions and are furthermore provided with a soft anchor armature adapted to be adjusted by two coils in opposite directions and operable to act upon the control valves. The control device for reversing the polarity of the drive motor is furthermore equipped with a reversing contact which connects the return signaling line to one of the two coils.

Referring first to the diagram of FIG. 11, the reference numeral l designates the contour of a portion of the bridge of the turntable to which is connected a drive motor 2 which through the intervention of mechanical stepdown transmission (not shown) drives the gear 3 which meshes, for instance, with inner teeth of the stationary part of the turntable structure. Keyed to the same shaft 4 as the -gear 3 is a cam 5 which is so designed that the left half is an image of the right half and which at oppositely located areas is provided with arresting notches 6. These notches 6 are adapted to be engaged by an arresting cam 7 which is connected to the arresting lever 8. Lever 8 is pivotally mounted for pivoting about the axis 9, and by means of a spring 10 holds the cam 7 firmly against the cam 5 in the notch 6 at the end of half a revolution of the cam 5. The lever 8 is provided with an angled-off ear I] provided with two long contact springs 12 and 13 adapted to be adjusted by the lever 8 over a relatively long control path. Motor 2 is provided with terminals 14 and 15 of which terminal 15 is electrically connected to a stationary contact 16. Lever 8 and the two contact springs 12 and 13 are at 17 electrically connected to the ground or mass.

That portion of FIG. 11 which is framed by dash lines shows the circuit for the actuating apparatus of the installation. Reference numeral 18 designates a full wave rectifier which through conductors 18, for instance, from a net transformer receive an alternating voltage of sixteen volts. The direct voltage terminals are, through conductors (not shown) connected to the four stationary contacts a, b, c, and d. The contacts d, b have associated therewith a movable reversing contact e, whereas the contacts c, d have associated therewith a reversing contact f, said contacts being adapted by means of a bridge 19 to be shifted from contacts a, c respectively to contacts b, d respectively and vice versa, whereby the two feeding lines 20, 21 connected to the contacts e and f respectively are adapted to have their potential reversed. The current conductor 20 leads to the common central contact 3 of an electromagnet which comprises substantially the two coaxial coils 20 and 23 arranged adjacent to each other and a soft iron core 24 which at the ends is provided with a pushrod and which is only diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 11. Said central contact 3 leads to the terminal 14 of the motor 2. The second feeding line 21 is connected to the spring contact 25, and at 26 is connected to the mass of the actuating apparatus while leading to a point 27 connected to the mass and pertaining to the device to be operated.

A contact ring 28 with a contact gap 28' cooperates with the spring contact 25 on the actuating apparatus, said contact ring 28 being connected through a further feeding line 29 to the terminal 15 of the motor 2.

The device to be controlled is equipped with a further stationary contact 30 which is insulated with regard to the mass and which through a current conductor 31 is connected to the movable contact h which is simultaneously reversible by the bridge 19. The reversing contact h may thus, by means of bridge 19, be placed into engagement with one of the two poles i, k of the coils 20 and 23.

FIGS. 1 to illustrate details of the actuating device of the remote control device according to the invention. The actuating apparatus comprises primarily a housing 32 in the shape of a round can open at the top and provided with a plane bottom and a plane flange-shaped margin 33 of any suitable synthetic material. The said flange-shaped rim 33 is provided, for instance, with four countersunk bores 34 for countersunk installation and for connection to the control panel of the railroad installation.

As will be evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, the margin 33 of the housing 32 may be covered by a ring 36 provided with arresting markers 35. Furthermore, as seen in FIG. 2, the siding or shed entrances which lead to the actuating device are on the control bottom provided with numbers. As shown in FIG. 4, the rim 33 is preferably provided with a zero mark 37 for indicating the installing position in the control board. The bottom of the housing 32 is provided with four pillars 38 and 39 which are preferably molded together with the housing and of which one pillar is visible in FIG. 3. The pillars 38 have their upper ends provided with thin pivots 40, and the pillars 39 are provided with threaded bores (not shown) into which connecting screws 41 are screwed. These pillars 38, 39 serve for connecting a plate 42 which is provided with bores and consists of insulating material, at a certain distance from the bottom ofthe housing.

Plat 42 has a somewhat smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the housing 32. A preselector ring protrudes through the thus formed annular gap between the housing 32 and plate 42 which preselector ring extends beyond the plate 42 downwardly and consists primarily of an annular body 43 of any suitable synthetic material. The lower end of this annular body 43 has an annular extension 44 which protrudes beyond plate 42 somewhat inwardly. Moreover, the upper end of the annular body 43 is provided with a marginal portion 45 which protrudes beyond the inner bore of housing 32 somewhat outwardly, whereby the preselector ring is secured against accidental displacement. The inner diameter of said preselector ring corresponds to the outer diameter of the plane 42 and the outer diameter of said preselector ring at the upper edge of the housing 32 corresponds to the inner diameter of the housing whereby the preselector ring 43 is nondisplaceable but is rotatably mounted between the housing 32 and plate 42. The upper marginal portion 45 of preselector ring 43 is, on its outside, provided with knurling in the form of small ribs 46 provided with two adjusting markers in the form of two radial extensions 47. i

The lower end face of the preselector ring 43 is provided with symmetrical locking notches 48, the number of which, equals the number of the arresting positions to be controlled in the respective installation. According to the embodiment shown, the turntable has 48 adjusting positions. Pawls 49 engage the arresting notches 48 which are molded onto the ends of a strong and wide two-arm locking spring 50, which, in the center of the plate 42, are by means ofa nut 52, connected to a pivot 51. This locking spring 50 has a third arm 53 provided at its end with a cut 54. Cut 54 extends over a downwardly directed pivot 55 which is connected to plate 42, whereby the arresting spring 50 is nonrotatably held on the plate 42 as shown in FIG. 10. I j

The top side of plate 42 has preferably by means of a stud connection 56 connected thereto a step control device which is particularly clearly shown in FIG. 4. This step control device includes primarily a yoke 57 of soft iron having molded thereonto also the connecting pivot 56. Within this soft iron yoke 57 there are provided two coils 22 and 23 which are coaxially arranged adjacent to each other. Furthermore, within said ,soft iron yoke 57 there is also arranged the soft iron armature 24 with the extensions 24' which are located at the end face and which are thinner in diameter. The extensions 24' may extend through a nonvisible opening at the end face through the yoke toward the outside. The upwardly directed part 51' of the central bearing stud 51 and also the yoke 57 may have radially displaceably guided thereon two control valves 58, the said control valves 58 are radially displaceably guided and, more specifically, by means of the partly superimposed tongues 59 or extensions 60 laterally engaging the yoke 57. The control valves 58 are furthermore provided with small ears 6] between which there is connected a return spring 62 which is common to both control valves. The outer ends of the control valves 58 are provided with control pawls 63, 63' which are formed onto said valve and the center of which is located on a common diameter of the device and which are provided on the radially adjustable control valves 58 while being inclined in different direction with regard to said diameter. Furthermore, the top side of the plate 42 has a spring sheet metal member 65 connected thereto by means of a pin 64. Connected to the sheet metal plate 65 is a pole of the rectifier 18. Through two narrow and upwardly angled-off bridges 66, this sheet metal part 65 is continued by a sheet metal part 67 which in its center has a blocking pawl 68 pointing upwardly. The blocking link 68 serves to hold a servomotor or indicating device provided with blocking teeth in a total of 84 rest positions.

That rotatable part of the apparatus which serves for post adjusting the spring contact 25 and for indicating the position reached by the bridge of the turntable consists of the following individual elements: rotatably journaled on the upwardly directed part 51' of the bearing shaft 51 is a disc 70 with a long bearing bushing 69 of any suitable synthetic material. The said disc 70 is, at its marginal area, provided with axially downwardly directed relatively thin locking or control teeth 71, which are spaced from each other when being in locking position. The tooth spaces between these teeth 71 are, under a slight spring pressure, engaged by a blocking pawl 68 which is connected to the plate 72 and is adapted to spring inwardly. The control pawls 63 and 63 provided on the control valves 58 have such a position with regard to the pawl 68 and are so inclined that in response to a radial displacement of said control valves they will tangentially engage one of said teeth 71 and adjust the disc 70 by one control step. Depending on which of the two coils 72 or 73 receives voltage, either through control pawl 63 or control pawl 63', the disc 70 is ad justed in one or the other direction. At a periodic interruption of the current supply to one of the coils 22 or 23, which interruption is brought about by the contacts 13, 30, the disc 70 is post adjusted into the position previously set by the preselector ring 43 while the common return spring 62 of the two control valves 58 will return the respective active valve and the soft iron armature 24, 24' to the starting position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The bearing pin 51' has its upper end provided with a notch 72 adapted to be engaged by a spring sheet metal part 73 by means of a slot 74 which narrows toward one side, said part 73 being adapted to be placed upon the disc 70. On the other hand, the spring sheet metal part 73 is, by means of a bore 75, secured against turning and is adapted on a small pin 76 to engage the top side of disc 70. The spring sheet metal member 73 thus holds the disc 70 stationary on the bearing pin 51' and is nonrotatably connected to the disc 70. The part 73 furthermore comprises a downwardly angled-off section 77 which ends in a spring which, at its end, carries a spring contact 25 illustrated in FIG. 11. Contact 25 engages from the inside, contact 28 (FIG. 3), and normally, the contact gap 28'.

The top side of disc 70 is provided with four small bearing extensions 78 upon which rests a thin disc of aluminum sheet metal which is provided with indicating symbols 79 in the form of a rotatable bridge. Said disc 80 is, by means of a hole 81 in disc 80 and a pin 82 on disc 70, secured against turning.

A transparent disc 83 which is flush with and closes off the preselector ring 43-45, is provided with an inwardly offset marginal area or rim 84 having arranged thereon resilient tongues 85 provided with locking members. In this way, disc 83 is adapted to spring into the preselector ring 4345. In the center on its inner side, the disc..83 has a concentric annular extension 860 which forms an axial abutment for the disc 80 which is fixed only as to rotation, but otherwise is loosely located on disc 70 and is provided with indicating symbols 79. In this way, the rotatable part of the post adjusting and indicating device is well visible and is protected against accidental,

adjustment while being located within the preselector ring 43.

As will be evident from FIG. 9, the bottom side of plate 42 has a plurality of conductor paths which may be produced by etching conductor parts in conformity with the method of producing printed circuits, by means of which, especially by soldering, the connection of the electrical elements of the control apparatus is effected with the various current conductors. Thus, in this instance, the fixed contacts a, b, c, d, i, k, g, referred to in connection with FIG. 11, and pertaining to the reversing device are clearly visible from the drawing. The conductor 26 connects the current feeding line 21 with the hearing pin 51, 51 and thus establishes through member 73 a connection with the spring contact 25. The soldered connections e',f', h, lead through the conductors e,f, h, indicated in FIG. to the movable contacts e,f, h. The areas 20, 21' and 31 indicated in FIG. 9 are soldering connections of the current feeding lines 20, 21, and 31 with the device to be controlled. The soldering areas g, i, and k lead to the contacts g, i and k of the two coils 22, 23 pertaining to the step control.

As will be seen from FIG. 10, below the arresting spring 50 there is provided a bridge 19 formed by an insulating plate and pivotable about the bearing pin 51, bridge 19 carrying the movable contacts e, f, h. An oblong hole 86 provided in the bridge 19 extends over the pin 55 whereby the bridge 19 is pivotable by one control step. Between the arresting spring 50 and bridge 19 there is provided a second very similar arresting spring 87 which, by means of its pawls 88 likewise engages the teeth 48 of the preselector ring 43. Spring 87 rests by means of two small lateral resilient arms 89 and 90 on both sides of bridge 19 while arm 90 with an angled-off jaw 90 engages a notch 91 of the bridge 19. Through the intervention of this spring 87, the bridge 19 is held firmly on the preselector ring 43.

From FIG. 10 it will thus be seen that during a rotation of the preselector ring 43, the bridge 19 will always be carried along by spring 87 by one control step when the direction of rotation of the preselector ring is changed. As a result thereof, always the contacts e, f and h, are switched over from the fixed contacts a, c, i, to the contacts b, d, k, and vice versa, so that always the motor 2 is adjusted within the shortest stroke while also the movable part of the servomotor and indicating device is over the shortest stroke post adjusted into the position preadjusted by the preselector ring 43.

FIGS. 3 and 10 furthermore illustrate the supply of current to the contact ring 28. Contact ring 28 is electrically connected to a spring contact 28" on the outside of the preselector ring 43. This spring contact 28" slides on a completely closed annular contact 29 which is provided in the immediate vicinity ofthe bottom in housing 32 (FIG. 3). Electrically connected to this contact ring 29' is a conductor 29 which leads to the motor contact 15. The circuit illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11 will, as to its operation, convey the following: by turning the preselector ring 43 in the actuating apparatus, through the intervention of the annular contact 28 and the spring contact 25, the motor 2 will, through conductors 20 and 29, receive voltage whereby the driving wheel 3 and the cam 5 are turned. As a result thereof, by means of the arresting cam 7, the lever 8 is pivoted so that the spring contact 12 will, through the contact l6, connect the motor terminal 15 to mass or ground and simultaneously the spring contact 13 will, through contact 30, connect the return signaling line 31 likewise to the mass or ground of the installation and thereby to the conductor 21. Through conductor 31, for instance, also the coil 23 will receive a current impulse whereby the soft iron armature 24 will be adjusted rightwardly for carrying out a control step. After the gear 4 and the cam 5 have performed half a revolution, the arresting cam 7 will, in view of the pressure of spring 10, drop into the other arresting notch 6 whereby the contact connections 12, 16 and 13, 30 are again disengaged. If the contact ring 28 was rotated merely by one control step, the spring contact 25 has again reached the area of the contact gaps 20', inasmuch as each spring contact 25 was likewise adjusted so that now the current supply to the motor 2 is again interrupted. If the contact ring 28 was adjusted by a plurality of control steps, it will be appreciated that when disconnecting the spring contact 12 from the contact 16 the motor 2 will, through contacts 28 and 25, remain under voltage until the spring contact 25 has again reached the contact space 28 on the contact ring 28. In this connection, however, following each control step by the arresting cam 7 dropping into a notch 6 will interrupt the connection between the spring contact 13 and the contact 30 once and very shortly which, however, will be sufficient in order to permit the return spring 62 to return the soft iron armature again to return to its starting position.

Therefore, in response to the next contact establishment between 13 and 30, the movable part of the indicating device is anew post-adjusted by one control step with regard to the preselector ring 43. Motor and indicating device are therefore only then turned off when the spring contact 25 has reached the contact gap 28'.

When changing the direction of rotation of the preselector ring 43, the control bridge 19 will reverse the drive direction of the motor 2, and through the intervention of the reversing contact h, the other two coils 22, 23 are connected to the return signaling line 31. Thus, also the discs 70 and 80 with the spring contact 25 and the indicating symbol 79 are, over the shortest stroke, post adjusted into the previously adjusted position of the preselector ring 43.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A remote control device for an installation having an electric motor, said motor being a reversible direct current motor, especially for a toy or model railroad, and comprising: a manually adjustable control element, an indexable follower element adjacent said control element, an energizing circuit for said motor including contact element on said control elefollower element to interrupt the supply of current to said motor and which are engaged in all other relative positions of said control element and follower element to cause a supply of current to said motor, an arresting device driven by said motor and determining rest positions thereof, contact means operated by said arresting device and opened thereby when the motor is in a said rest position and closed thereby when the motor is between said rest positions, indexing means under the control of said contact means operable for causing indexing movement of said follower element each time said motor moves from one rest position thereof to the next whereby, upon movement of said control element away from said one predetermined position relative to said follower element said motor will be energized and will run to traverse shortest distance from one position to another with adjustment capability of less than towards both sides until the follower element is indexed back to said one predetermined position relative to said control element, and a reversing switch in said control device operated by movement of said control element in respective directions away from said one predetermined position relative to said follower element for establishing respective directions of current flow to said motor,

2. A remote control device according to claim 1 in which said indexing means comprises an armature and a pair of coils each energizable to move the armature in a respective direction from a rest positioned thereof, movement of said armature in each said direction actuating said follower element in a respective direction, and said reversing switch including means for connecting that one of said coils to said contact means which will drive the follower element in the same direction that the said control element is moved.

3. A remote control device according to claim 2 which includes first, second, and third conductors leading from said control device to said installation for energizing said motor, said first conductor leading from one side of said motor to one side of each of said coils and to a first blade of said reversing switch, said second conductor leading from the other side of said motor via said contact means controlled by said arresting device to supply current to the motor between rest positions thereof and to a second blade of said reversing switch, and said third conductor leading from said other side of said motor via said contact elements on said control element and follower element to said second blade of said reversing switch.

4. A remote control device according to claim 1 which includes a cylindrical housing adapted for panel mounting, said control element being rotatably supported by said housing, said follower element being rotatable in said housing, said indexing means comprising electromagnetic means in said housing, said actuating means causing said follower element to index step by step in said housing with the follower element taking one step each time said contact means are closed by said arresting device, a first uninterrupted contact ring in said housing, a second interrupted contact ring on said control element electrically connected to said first contact ring, and a resilient contact finger on said follower element engaging said second contact ring, said second contact ring being connected to said other side of said motor and said contact finger being connected to said second blade of said reversing switch.

5. A remote control device according to claim 3 in which said second conductor is grounded.

6. A remote control device according to claim 1 in which there is a cylindrical housing adapted for panel mounting, said control element being rotatably supported by said housing, said follower element being rotatable in said housing, said indexing means comprising electromagnetic means in said housing, said actuating means causing said follower element to index step by step in said housing with the follower element taking one step each time said contact means are closed by said arresting device, said housing having a bottom wall and a cylindrical wall upstanding therefrom, a first pair of pillars upstanding from said bottom wall inside said cylindrical wall and having shouldered upper ends, a second pair of pillars upstanding from said bottom wall and spaced from said first pair of pillars and having threaded axial holes in the upper ends, and a support plate of insulating material mounted on the upper ends of said pillars in engagement with the shoulders of said first pair of pillars, and screws in the threaded holes of the second pair of pillars fixing said plate in said housing.

7. A remote control device according to claim 6 which includes a bearing pin upstanding from the center of said plate, a detent member nonrotatably mounted on said bearing pin and engaging a peripheral portion of said control element, reversing contacts on said plate, and a reversing bridge mounted on said bearing pin and actuated by movement of said control element.

8. A remote control device according to claim 7 in which said plate is smaller in diameter than the inside of said cylindrical wall, said control element having a cylindrical axial portion extending through the space between said plate and cylindrical wall, a redially inwardly projecting flange on the said axial portion engaging the underneath side of said plate, and flange means on said control element projecting axially and radially from said housing at the upper end of said cylindrical wall.

9. A remote control device according to claim 8 in which the lower end of said axial portion of said control element is axially and symmetrically notched, and said detent member comprising a spring having end parts engaging said notches.

10. A remote control device according to claim 9 in which said plate includes an anchor pin upstanding therefrom spaced from said bearing pin and engaging said detent member.

11. A remote control device according to claim 9 in which said indexing means comprises an armature and a pair of axially spaced coils for moving the armature in opposite directions from a rest position thereof, a frame supporting said coils and mounted on said plate, an actuating element at each end of the frame actuated by movement of the armature toward the respective actuating element, each actuating element having a slotted portion engaging said bearing pin to guide the actuating elements to move radially in said housing, a pawl on each actuating element located on a diameter of said housing, and teeth on said follower element engageable by said pawls.

12. A remote control device according to claim 11 which includes a return spring connected between said actuating elements and urging the actuating elements radially inwardly in said housing.

13. A remote control device according to claim 12 which includes a rectifier carried by said plate adapted to receive an alternating-current supply and supplying direct current for said motor and coils.

14. A remote control device according to claim 13 in which the underneath side of said plate comprises a printed circuit having terminals and connected to the output side of said rectifier.

15. A remote control device according to claim 14 in which said reversing bridge is pivotal on said bearing pin and has a circumferential slot engaging said anchor pin, an arm resiliently engaging the said notches in the axial portion of said control element and connected to said bridge for movement of the bridge in the same direction as said control element an amount determined by the length of said circumferential slot, said bridge cooperating with terminals of said printed circuit.

16. A remote control device according to claim 15 in which said follower element has axial teeth engageable by said pawls and spaced circumferentially the same distance as the notches on said control element, and a detent on said support plate resiliently engaging the spaces between the said teeth.

17. A remote control device according to claim 16, in which said pawls are inclined so that radially outward movement into engagement with a tooth of said follower element will advance said follower elements one tooth space in a respective direction.

18. A remote control device according to claim 17 in which the upper end of said bearing pin is provided with an annular notch, said follower element being journaled on said bearing pin, and a retaining metal plate overlying said follower element and having a keyhole receiving the said upper end of said bearing pin, a lock pin nonrotatively connecting said metal plate to said follower element, and a resilient contact finger on said metal plate slidably engaging an interrupted contact ring on said control element.

19. A remote control device according to claim 18 which includes a disc member having indicating means thereon and resting on said follower element and nonrotatively connected thereto.

20. A remote control device according to claim 19 in which said control element is in the form of ring, a transparent disc receivable in said control element so as to be flush therewith, means holding said transparent disc in said control element and against rotation therein, and a central hub on the underside of said transparent disc in the center thereof resting on said disc member to confine it axially.

21. A remote control device according to claim 20 in whic said housing has a zero mark adjacent the periphery of said control element, knurling on said control element for rotation thereof on said housing, and two diametrically opposed indicator elements on said control element for cooperation with said zero mark on said housing. 

1. A remote control device for an installation having an electric motor, said motor being a reversible direct current motor, especially for a toy or model railroad, and comprising: a manually adjustable control element, an indexable follower element adjacent said control element, an energizing circuit for said motor including contact element on said control element and follower element which are disengaged in one predetermined relative position of said control element and follower element to interrupt the supply of current to said motor and which are engaged in all other relative positions of said control element and follower element to cause a supply of current to said motor, an arresting device driven by said motor and determining rest positions thereof, contact means operated by said arresting device and opened thereby when the motor is in a said rest position and closed thereby when the motor is between said rest positions, indexing means under the control of said contact means operable for causing indexing movement of said follower element each time said motor moves from one rest position thereof to the next whereby, upon movement of said control element away from said one predetermined position relative to said follower element said motor will be energized and will run to traverse shortest distance from one position to another with adjustment capability of less than 180* towards both sides until the follower element is indexed back to said one predetermined position relative to said control element, and a reversing switch in said control device operated by movement of said control element in respective directions away from said one predetermined position relative to said follower element for establishing respective directions of current flow to said motor.
 2. A remote control device according to claim 1 in which said indexing means comprises an armature and a pair of coils each energizable to move the armature in a respective direction from a rest positioned thereof, movement of said armature in each said direction actuating said follower element in a respective direction, and said reversing switch including means for connecting that one of said coils to said contact means which will drive the follower element in the same direction that the said control element is moved.
 3. A remote control device according to claim 2 which includes first, second, and third conductors leading from said control device to said installation for energizing said motor, said first conductor leading from one side of said motor to one side of each of said coils and to a first blade of said reversing switch, said second conductor leading from the other side of said motor via said contact means controlled by said arresting device to supply current to the motor between rest positions thereof and to a second blade of said reversing switch, and said third conductor leading from said other side of said motor via said contact elements on said control element and follower element to said second blade of said reversing switch.
 4. A remote contrOl device according to claim 1 which includes a cylindrical housing adapted for panel mounting, said control element being rotatably supported by said housing, said follower element being rotatable in said housing, said indexing means comprising electromagnetic means in said housing, said actuating means causing said follower element to index step by step in said housing with the follower element taking one step each time said contact means are closed by said arresting device, a first uninterrupted contact ring in said housing, a second interrupted contact ring on said control element electrically connected to said first contact ring, and a resilient contact finger on said follower element engaging said second contact ring, said second contact ring being connected to said other side of said motor and said contact finger being connected to said second blade of said reversing switch.
 5. A remote control device according to claim 3 in which said second conductor is grounded.
 6. A remote control device according to claim 1 in which there is a cylindrical housing adapted for panel mounting, said control element being rotatably supported by said housing, said follower element being rotatable in said housing, said indexing means comprising electromagnetic means in said housing, said actuating means causing said follower element to index step by step in said housing with the follower element taking one step each time said contact means are closed by said arresting device, said housing having a bottom wall and a cylindrical wall upstanding therefrom, a first pair of pillars upstanding from said bottom wall inside said cylindrical wall and having shouldered upper ends, a second pair of pillars upstanding from said bottom wall and spaced from said first pair of pillars and having threaded axial holes in the upper ends, and a support plate of insulating material mounted on the upper ends of said pillars in engagement with the shoulders of said first pair of pillars, and screws in the threaded holes of the second pair of pillars fixing said plate in said housing.
 7. A remote control device according to claim 6 which includes a bearing pin upstanding from the center of said plate, a detent member nonrotatably mounted on said bearing pin and engaging a peripheral portion of said control element, reversing contacts on said plate, and a reversing bridge mounted on said bearing pin and actuated by movement of said control element.
 8. A remote control device according to claim 7 in which said plate is smaller in diameter than the inside of said cylindrical wall, said control element having a cylindrical axial portion extending through the space between said plate and cylindrical wall, a redially inwardly projecting flange on the said axial portion engaging the underneath side of said plate, and flange means on said control element projecting axially and radially from said housing at the upper end of said cylindrical wall.
 9. A remote control device according to claim 8 in which the lower end of said axial portion of said control element is axially and symmetrically notched, and said detent member comprising a spring having end parts engaging said notches.
 10. A remote control device according to claim 9 in which said plate includes an anchor pin upstanding therefrom spaced from said bearing pin and engaging said detent member.
 11. A remote control device according to claim 9 in which said indexing means comprises an armature and a pair of axially spaced coils for moving the armature in opposite directions from a rest position thereof, a frame supporting said coils and mounted on said plate, an actuating element at each end of the frame actuated by movement of the armature toward the respective actuating element, each actuating element having a slotted portion engaging said bearing pin to guide the actuating elements to move radially in said housing, a pawl on each actuating element located on a diameter of said housing, and teeth on said follower element engageable by said pawls.
 12. A remote control device according to claim 11 which includes a return spring connected between said actuating elements and urging the actuating elements radially inwardly in said housing.
 13. A remote control device according to claim 12 which includes a rectifier carried by said plate adapted to receive an alternating-current supply and supplying direct current for said motor and coils.
 14. A remote control device according to claim 13 in which the underneath side of said plate comprises a printed circuit having terminals and connected to the output side of said rectifier.
 15. A remote control device according to claim 14 in which said reversing bridge is pivotal on said bearing pin and has a circumferential slot engaging said anchor pin, an arm resiliently engaging the said notches in the axial portion of said control element and connected to said bridge for movement of the bridge in the same direction as said control element an amount determined by the length of said circumferential slot, said bridge cooperating with terminals of said printed circuit.
 16. A remote control device according to claim 15 in which said follower element has axial teeth engageable by said pawls and spaced circumferentially the same distance as the notches on said control element, and a detent on said support plate resiliently engaging the spaces between the said teeth.
 17. A remote control device according to claim 16, in which said pawls are inclined so that radially outward movement into engagement with a tooth of said follower element will advance said follower elements one tooth space in a respective direction.
 18. A remote control device according to claim 17 in which the upper end of said bearing pin is provided with an annular notch, said follower element being journaled on said bearing pin, and a retaining metal plate overlying said follower element and having a keyhole receiving the said upper end of said bearing pin, a lock pin nonrotatively connecting said metal plate to said follower element, and a resilient contact finger on said metal plate slidably engaging an interrupted contact ring on said control element.
 19. A remote control device according to claim 18 which includes a disc member having indicating means thereon and resting on said follower element and nonrotatively connected thereto.
 20. A remote control device according to claim 19 in which said control element is in the form of a ring, a transparent disc receivable in said control element so as to be flush therewith, means holding said transparent disc in said control element and against rotation therein, and a central hub on the underside of said transparent disc in the center thereof resting on said disc member to confine it axially.
 21. A remote control device according to claim 20 in which said housing has a zero mark adjacent the periphery of said control element, knurling on said control element for rotation thereof on said housing, and two diametrically opposed indicator elements on said control element for cooperation with said zero mark on said housing. 